Prime Minister Encourages Greater Awareness to Climate Change and Other Global Issues and Their Connection to Local Challenges
“We must think globally, but act locally.”
“Every Jamaican citizen must now pay attention to this thing called climate change. Pay attention to the frequency of major weather events happening in your country. Pay attention to the hotter times that you are experiencing on a daily basis.”
-Prime Minister Holness
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There is a direct link between climate change and many of the local challenges we are experiencing. That is the message from Prime Minister Andrew Holness. He is encouraging Jamaicans to pay closer attention to the far-reaching effects of climate change and act responsibly at the local level to lessen the impact of the issues we face.
Speaking on the importance of responding to climate change, Prime Minister Holness implored Jamaicans to adopt a more global perspective in their daily lives.
“Many Jamaicans exist from day-to-day, and they have no clue about the global changes that are taking place around them. They only have to deal with the problems that they face daily. You cannot just be a local citizen. You are a citizen of the entire world, and there are some issues that affect the entire world that impact your local circumstances,” Prime Minister Holness stated.
The Prime Minister also noted the increasing frequency of major weather events in Jamaica and encouraged citizens to recognize the signs of climate change. “Every Jamaican citizen must now pay attention to this thing called climate change. Pay attention to the frequency of major weather events happening in your country. Pay attention to the hotter times that you are experiencing on a daily basis.”
He continued: “Almost every year for the last five years, Jamaica has had a serious weather event. Whether it is tropical storm Eta, tropical storm Zeta, or heavy floods. So not only are you going to have multiple crises, you’re going to have them more frequently.”
The Prime Minister explained the interconnected nature of global and local issues, noting how climate change worsens health and other problems.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Holness also stressed the need for personal responsibility in tackling these challenges. He highlighted the issue of improper waste disposal and its impact on local communities, particularly in terms of vector-borne diseases.
“We cannot continue like this as a people. No amount of budget allocation can single-handedly solve this problem. When plastics and other garbage get into the earthen drains, they prevent the water from moving through. So it’s not just the trees that block the drain. It is the plastics and other waste. We have to take some responsibility.”
Furthermore, the Prime Minister called on Jamaicans to adopt better waste management practices to reduce the breeding of mosquitoes and other vectors.
“If you have to store water at home, cover water containers for your drinking and domestic purposes. We must understand that as the time gets hotter, the conditions for breeding mosquitoes and other vectors improve. Those conditions are what they like, and so you’re going to get more mosquitoes. You cannot always blame the government and the National Solid Waste Management Authority; you have to take some personal responsibility.”
Prime Minister Holness is therefore appealing for behavioural change and increased awareness of global changes.
“I’m using this platform to appeal to all of Jamaica to understand that there are some global changes happening that you need to get in tune with and change your behaviour in order to have an impact on the conditions that these global changes create in your local community. The government is doing its part as much as it can from the economy that you create. Whatever resources we get, we allocate them to the problems as best as possible, and we are allocating them in smart ways. We are doing the things that build our resilience and our capabilities to respond to crises.”
The Prime Minister was speaking on Wednesday (July 24) at the launch of the National Clean-up Program in Portmore, St. Catherine.